Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology Focusing on Organisation – Transformation Processes in Work, Society and Environment

Master Psychology focusing on Organisation – Transformation Processes in Work, Society, and Environment

This multidisciplinary MA Psychology program with an organisational focus aims to foster a reflective socio-critical stance in its students. You will explore subjects revolving around transformation processes in the context of organisational psychology, environmental psychology, health psychology, and related areas.

Changes within the work environment are unfolding in a society, in which the significance of progress and growth must be rethought, especially considering current complex global challenges such as climate change and digitalization. Psychologists maintain decisive roles within numerous professional fields by providing support to individuals and organisations that are coping with transitions and challenges of today’s society. The social change raises the question of the level of significance different organisations have and should have in contemporary society. This is accompanied by new forms of interpersonal relationships and dynamics between man and machine, in addition to the challenges associated with sustainable business strategies. “Work, Society, Environment” are therefore not merely buzzwords put together in a title; more than that, they can be understood as highly intertwined concepts that systematically focus on the dynamics in animate and inanimate relationships. In the process of understanding and guiding such changing environments, psychodynamic approaches are of central importance.

Course Structure and Organisation

All degree programs offered at the IPU Berlin are both research-based and application-oriented and designed to help students develop independent, socially reflective, and solution-oriented professional abilities.

The teaching itself is also varied: In addition to lectures and lecture-oriented seminars, students participate in workshops, which provide the space for reflection on their own experiences. These insights are then used for learning and research practice.

This MA Psychology program is targeted at bachelor graduates in psychology or economics and related fields who wish to pursue a career within the field of organisational psychology while implementing a psychodynamic perspective. Whether it be NGOs, governmental agencies, environmental organisations, or other directions, this MA program will excellently prepare you for a diverse professional life and career.

The MA Psychology focusing on Organisation consists of 120 ECTS credits, which you can earn during four full-time study semesters. The ECTS credits are divided evenly across three semesters, with the master thesis to be written during the final (fourth) one.

The program is divided into five overarching areas of study

1. Reflective Psychology and Theoretical Psychology

1. Work, Organisational, and Business Psychology

1. Health and Environmental Psychology

1. Social and Cultural Psychology

1. Research Methods

The content is spread across the following 10 modules

1. Psychology as a Critical Social Science Psychology (6 ECTS)

1. Current Research Findings in Work- and Organisational Psychology (6 ECTS)

1. The Individual and the Organisation (9 ECTS)

1. Environment and Society in the Tension Field between Demand and Reality (9 ECTS)

1. Work, Health, and Prevention (6 ECTS)

1. Consulting (9 ECTS)

1. Research Methods (6 ECTS)

1. Research and Project Workshop (8 ECTS)

1. Strategic communication (6 ECTS)

1. Work experience / Internship (15 ECTS)

As a graduate of this MA program, you will be equipped with theoretical and practical skills that provide essential competencies for developing sustainable solutions by reflecting on social dynamics and change processes. Moreover, the integration of knowledge acquisition and independent reflection offered by this MA program fosters strengthened systemic competencies in recognizing and assuming responsibility, which accommodates the ability to make independent decisions in leadership positions.

The program encourages the development of your communication skills through the practice of scholastic discussion and the maintenance of a reflective stance. The didactics of the degree program are primarily oriented towards interactive forms of teaching and learning. From the first semester onwards, you will learn how to independently research academic questions, how to present and discuss them, and how to deal constructively with criticism. These communication skills will enable you to obtain competencies associated with professional leadership positions. Moreover, particular emphasis is placed on the development of a reflective attitude within interdisciplinary and international dialogues, which serves the ultimate aim of promoting a professional identity and the formation of an associated interculturally significant ethical attitude.